


Left too soon

by Cubi



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: A lot - Freeform, Deviates From Canon, M/M, Tony is there for like two sentences, Why do I do this
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-25
Updated: 2017-04-02
Packaged: 2018-08-10 21:39:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,520
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7862077
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cubi/pseuds/Cubi
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>He was getting closer when he started to hear sirens and people gathered around something, talking. Among those voices and sounds, there was one that caught his attention, something like... a dog whining?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> So... this time I tried to write a sad fic. I apologize for any typos! Please, let me know in a comment what did you think of this. I hope you enjoy the fic!

That day started as every other day: Clint woke up at 7, showered, got dressed and had breakfast. Meanwhile Lucky ignored him and kept sleeping, only paying him attention when Clint got the leash. Walking the dog was one of the things Clint enjoyed the most because it gave him the false illusion of living a normal life. Don't get him wrong, he loved being an avenger and he wouldn't trade it for anything, but that life wasn't exactly filled with peaceful moments that let him think about everything and nothing at all and so he was thankful for those 30 minutes of peace he got every morning.

"Come on Lucky!"

He thought of Bucky, going over all the moments they had shared since the soldier arrived. Their first interaction was what one would describe as pretty tense: Bucky had been drinking Clint's coffee without knowing and when an annoyed Clint pointed it out with a false smile saying that 'it wasn't meant for Bucky but okay', he got very nervous and tried to apologize, but all he did was blurt out something along the lines of 'it's awful anyways you can have it'. Clint wouldn't have minded had it not been a gift from Natasha.

However, a few weeks later Clint found himself spending time with Bucky at the range or at the common area watching some movies or even at the roof simply sitting next to each other, staring off into the city. They understood each other without the need of words, they knew when the other needed space or someone to be there for them, when they needed a drink or to shoot at something. Basically their relationship was perfect from Clint's point of view and it was something they both cherished.

He didn't know _when_ or _how_ it happened, probably slowly enough for him not to realize until it was too late, but one day he found himself staring at Bucky and thinking about how much he _loved_ him.

Not knowing how to deal with his feelings Clint decided it was time to go back to Bed Stuy for a while. He was dealing with his feelings like an adult, thank you very much.

Suddenly, Lucky took off running after a cat. Clint had been so deep in thought he hadn't realized until the leash was out of his hands. He ran after Lucky until the dog stopped dead in his tracks, terrified. A truck was approaching Lucky, too fast to stop, and so Clint did the only thing he could think of at the moment: he sprinted and pushed Lucky out of the way, taking his place instead.

\---

Bucky was a nervous mess: Steve was on a mission, he was having nightmares every night and on top of that he didn't know where the hell Clint was.

"Dude, calm down. Steve's okay. He'll be back next week." Tony said, trying to comfort Bucky.

"Yeah, I know..."

"C'mon what's going on?"

"It's just... has anyone seen Clint lately?"

"Oh, don't worry. He's probably at Bed Stuy or something"

What did he just say? Of course Clint had a home! Bucky felt stupid for a second before asking Tony Clint's address. Tony told him that Clint never told them the exact address, so he could only tell him the zone where he supposed it was located. Bucky took note of the directions and went to find Clint.

He wanted to bring him back to the tower, back to him. You see, he was rather fond of the archer: Clint had been the first person to talk to him fearlessly (besides Steve, of course) and later on he became an important person to Bucky because he helped him calm down when things bacame too much or simply offered a distraction when Bucky started feeling like he was losing control of his life _again_. Eventually those feelings of grattitude and appreciation became ones of love and adoration. He came to the conclusion that he was smitten when he caught himself smiling like an idiot whenever he thought of Clint or the man did something endearingly stupid.

He was getting closer when he started to hear sirens and people gathered around something, talking. Among those voices and sounds, there was one that caught his attention, something like... a dog whining?

He had a bad feeling about that as he approached the scene. Some people scurried away as soon as they saw him, mostly because of the murder face he was wearing, others stared at him in awe, recognition on their faces.

When he got to the scene, his heart stopped.

There on the floor was lying the love of his life, the reason behind his never ending happiness.

_Clint._

As soon as the cops saw him and recognised him as the Winter Soldier, the new member of the Avengers, they started to explain what had happened and told him that the medics were doing all they could to save Clint.

He couldn't bring himself to pay any attention to what was happening around him. He was numb. He could only watch as the medics tried to stop Clint from bleeding to death while trying to make his heart beat again. The whining dog was being held by a really worried woman.

Bucky started to walk towards Clint, glaring at the cops and medics who tried to stop him.

His eyes were full of unshed tears and his lungs were begging for him to remember to breathe again. 

He kneeled beside Clint at the same time the medics gave up and stood to give Bucky some privacy. Bucky took Clint's hand in his own shaking one and put two fingers on Clint's neck. He stilled, feeling a pulse, but broke down when he realized that it was his own heart beating strong enough for him to feel it in his whole body.

The dog from before managed to break free and was now licking Clint's face and poking him with his snout. The dog's tag read Lucky. Huh, so this was the dog Clint talked about non stop with a huge smile on, like this dog was the best thing to ever happen to him.

"Clint, love, if you can hear me... wait for me. We'll be together again some day. Until then, I'll take good care of Lucky."

With a last glance and a kiss to Clint's forehead, Bucky grabbed Lucky's leash and stood there, crying silently as he watched the medics cover Clint's now cold body.


	2. Fix-it

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So... here I am, 8 months later with the fix-it I promised. I'm really sorry for being so late. Also sorry because it's really really short.

Bucky woke up with a start, teary-eyed and panting.

He didn't dare move, not entirely sure if Clint would be lying by his side or if there wouldn’t be anyone. He had had that dream countless times, and each time he feared it had become true.

Taking in a shaky breath he started to reach for his boyfriend and when he found him there he couldn’t help but wrap himself around a sleeping Clint and smother him with kisses, until he felt the archer shift.

“Bucky?” whispered Clint, getting a broken ‘yeah’ for answer. “That nightmare again right?”

Clint felt himself being pulled tighter to Bucky’s chest as if he were to suddenly disappear and leave Bucky alone. This had happened so many times that they knew what would happen next: Clint would try to soothe Bucky, Bucky would say that he was fine and they would pretend to sleep for the next of the night.

“Hey, babe, it’s okay. I’m here, see?” He pinched Bucky’s flesh forearm. “I’m real. This is real. What you’ve seen is just how it could’ve turned out if the medics hadn’t been there on time. But they did and I’m back home with you.”

“I know, it’s just… God, Clint, it was a close call. Too fucking close. Everyone thought you had died on impact.”

“But I didn’t. Also, not everything was terrible.”

“What do you mean?”

“Well… I’ll always remember waking up and seeing you sleeping, slouched on one of those impossibly uncomfortable hospital chairs. Then the next moment you were wide awake and telling me how much of an idiot I was for taking ‘ _that dog’s place_ ’ and how you were never going to let me out of your sight. I was so confused and happy at the same time… the one I had grown to love actually cared deeply for me!” Said Clint with a quiet laugh.

“I remember that, too, being too worried and angry at you for being so stupid but at the same time feeling incredibly relieved and then- and then kissing you.” Bucky breathed deeply, letting that particular memory wash over him. “You went so still that I thought I had broken you, but then you blurted out ‘ _I love you_ ’ and grinned despite the pain caused by the cuts on your face and the broken ribs and leg.”

“Yeah…”

After that they went quiet once again, just embracing each other, remembering that not-so-fateful day and waiting for the sun to rise again and take away those dark _what ifs_ that consumed them in their sleep every now and then.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you liked it! Please leave a comment, specially if you liked it, because I love hearing from my readers and knowing that people like my works keeps me writing!


End file.
